Food processing machine



Feb. 3, 1 942. T.'R. JAMES 2,272,007

FOOD PROCESSING momma: Original Filed Aug. 19, 19:58 a Shee ts-Sheet 1Thomas'R.U' me 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 IEnvenior:

Riamzs. flitokhey Feb. 3, 1942;

"r. 12. JAMES 2,272,007

FOOD PROCESSING MACHINE Original Filed Aug. 19, 1938 8 Sheets-Sheet 3Feb. 3, 1942 Inventor:

o I I u u i l "n n n p n n Feb. 3, 1942. T. R. JAMES 2, 7

FOOD PROCESSING MACHINE Original Filed Aug. 19, 1938 SheetS -She et 4Inv enfbr:

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Feb-I 1942- T. R. JAMES FOOD PROCESSING MACHINE olfi gi nal Filed Aug.19, 1938 8-Sheet.s-Sheet 5 Inventor: Thomas R. am 5.

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Feb. 3,1942. -'r. R. JAMES 2,272,007 I FOODPROCESSING MACHINE OriginalFiled Aug. 19, 1938 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Fig.1:

InVenf r: V Thom sRJ'mes V tier-neg,

Patented Feb. 3, 1942 4 f-"UNlTED. STATES PATE T"forics I FOOD :23:12;

llhcinmsrv R. mug-Minneapolis, Minn.,assignor I to General Mills,Inc., acorporation of, Del-* aware Original application August 19, 1938,SerialNo. 225,767. Divided and this application May 4, 1939, Serial N0.-271,705 j v v G is 'icclaims. (01. 107-8) This invention relates to foodprocessing machines and has special reference to a machine for preparingcooked food in'the form of pellets or short cylinders particularly foruse in a pufilng gun for making a puffed cereal.

This is a division of my copending application, Serial Number 225,767,filed on August 19, 1938, for a Food processing machine, and issuedMarch 4, 1941, as Patent No. 2,233,919.

An' object of the invention is to provide a machine of this characterwherein a continuous movement of the food under preparation will take Iplace without anymanual handling from the introductionvof theingredients into the machlneto the production of the cooked pellets.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of thischaracter wherein, from the time the food ingredients are introduceduntil the cooked pellets are produced there will be no exposure toexternal air, thus preventing general contamination from the air, thecooking operation serving to destroy any germs which may enter themachine during the feeding of the ingredients into the mixer.

Still another object of the invention is to providea machine of thistype having means for extruding a very tough viscous dough and forforming-it into pellets of a desired size and shape. I

With the above and other objects in view as. will be hereinafterapparent, the invention con-" sists in general of certain novel detailsof construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described,illustrated'in the accompanying drawings and specifically claimed."

- In the accompanying drawings like characters of reference indicatelike parts in th'eseveralviews, and: c

Figure 115 a side elevation of the complete machin with certain of theguards for the moving part omitted. I -="-Figure 2 is a plan view of themachine. Figure 3 is an end elevation of the machine, the view beingtaken from the right hand end of Figures1and2. p Figure 4 is anendelevation of the machine, the view being taken from the left hand end ofFig ures 1 and 2.

Figure 5 is a vertical longitudinal section of the mixer mechanism oftheinvention, the view being taken to an enlarged scale. I

Figure 6 is a'view, partly in plan and partly in horizontal section, anddiscloses the cooker device to an enlarged scale. g I

Figure '1 is a fragmentary section on the line 1-1 of Figure 5.

ters.

t Figure dis a fragmentary section on the line 88 ofFlgure 6.

1 Figure 9 is anenlarged detail section on the line 9-9of Figure 2, theview showing details of the extruderunit. I Figure'lO is a view on theline Iii-l0 of Figure 9, and showing one end of the extruder unit.

I Figure 11 is a section-on the line I l-of Figure' 9.

Figure ,12 is afragmentary detail section on the.

line l2i l2"of Figurefl.

, Figure '13 is a detail elevation, partly in section of a frame ringforming part of the device.

} In carrying outthisinventionas shown in the accompanying drawingsthere is provided a base frame III, which supports the variousmechanisms through upstanding frame members ,I l. Obviously theparticular construction of this frame will depend on such factors asthes'ize of its machine,

its location, and other purely mechanicalmat- 4 Therefore, the detailsof construction of the frame will not .bespe'cifically described, itbesuitably supported from the frame.

Ingeneral the invention comprises a mixer l2 for mixing the ingredientsof the food under preparation'with suitable liquidsuch as water, a,cookor I 3 also" having the function of constituting a doughmixerduringthe'cooking operation, a feed or screw unit ,an extrusiondevice or unit [5, v and a'blower or cooling device lithe latter serving to keep the pellets inmotion while cooling to prevent them fromsticking to each other and to the machine and to blow them out of thesame.

Inasmuch as these devices act in the order named; on the foodbeingprepared they willbe described inthat order. v I I The mixer l2lies at the top of the machine and includesfa troughlike vessel l1having sides ll and ends 19. Referring to the positions of the variouselements as shown in Figures 1 and 2 it will be seen that this vessel I!has in itsbottom at the left end an opening 20, the trough l'lexftending to the right from this opening. In the end walls-19 isjournaled the shaft 2| having secured thereon a conveyor-worm 22;Thisworm extends from the right end of" the trough I! to the opening20'. Across the troughandextending from one side wall to the other aresupports 23,; I whereon'rests a pipe 24 havingseparate openings '25 inits lower part. This pipe is connected to a feed pipe 26whichfreceivesliquid'from any suitable source such asa tank or the like,the source of liquid not being necessary here to be shown.

It will be observed that the pipe 24 lies over and extends along theworm so that when the solid ingredients of the food are pressed in thetrough by any suitable means and liquid flows from the pipe 24 theworking of the worm will mix the liquid and solid ingredients and willfeed these mixed ingredients to the opening 20. Extending from the lefthand end of the trough 11 are brackets 21 which support a bearing 28carrying the left hand end of the shaft 2 I. On this left hand end thereis further provided a sprocket 29 which is connected by a chain-30 to asprocket 3| driven in a manner which will presently be described.

The cooker I3 is composed of an upper section 32 and a lower section 33.The upper section is of inverted semicircular form in cross section,while the major part of the lower section is of U-shape in crosssection, thus forming a trough. The sections 32 and 33 are provided withperipheral flanges 34 between which is a suitable gasket 35 (Fig. 12),these sections being held together at intervals by holdfast means 36 ofany suitable sort, which will provide for the removal of the uppersection from the lower section when desired. The upper section 32 hasend walls 31, and the lower section 33 has end walls 38. These end;walls support two pairs of alined stufling boxes 39, wherein arejournaled an upper shaft 48 and a lower shaft 4|, these shafts beingparallel and having their axes coincident with the centers of curvatureof the upper and lower curved portions of the cooker. The sprocket 3| ismounted on the left hand end of the shaft 4|, so that when this shaft isrotated the shaft 2| will likewise be rotated. At the left hand end ofthe cooker there is provided an opening 42 (Fig. '7) and a peripheralwall 43 projects upwardly around this opening and has a flange 44projecting outwardly from its upper edge. The side walls |8 of the mixerhave, at the opening 28, downwardly and outwardly flaring portions 45provided with flanges 46 which rest on the flange 44. This constructionpermits the mixed material from the mixer to spread out as it passes outof the mixer, and the opening 42 permits the mixed material to flow intothe cooker.

The upper section of the cooker is provided with a heat insulatingjacket 41, and the lower section of the cooker is provided with an innerside wall 48 and an outer side wall 49 spaced concentrically from thewall 48 to form a steam space 50, into which nipples lead from thissteam-jacket space and serve for connection to a pipe for steam supplyand to an exhaust pipe. By means of this arrangement the steam spacingmay be heated to any desired degree. The steam space 58 is provided withan insulating jacket 52. Extending radially from each of the shafts 40and 4| is a series of arms 53 and diametrically opposite the arms 53 butin staggered relation thereto is a second series of arms 54. Carried onthe outer end of each of the arms53 and 54 is a combined stirring andconveying member 55, which forms a T head on the arm. These T heads areset at an angle to the axis of the respective shafts and the angularrelation is such that rotation of the shaft causes these heads 55 toforce the material in the cooker toward the right. At

its right hand end the lower member 33 is provided with an opening 56which communicates with a cylindrical chamber 51, presently to bereferred to. It will now be observed that the material passes from themixer to the left hand end of the cooker, and then gradually moves to meright hand end of the cooker, this motion being affected by the rotatingshafts and elements 55. During this movement through the cooker the heatof the steam in the space "will thoroughly cook the material and, at thesame time, there will be a constant kneading of the mixture so that amass of plastic materiaiwill be obtained in a thoroughly cookedcondition, upon the arrival of such material at the opening 56.

There will naturally be considerable steam generated from the materialbeing cooked and manholes 58 having covers 58a are arranged to provideaccess to the interior of the cooker and to permit escape of any excesssteam, most of the steam passing upwardly through the openings 42 and 28to preheat the material as it passes from the mixer.

These shafts 48 and 4| are driven simultaneously and at equal speeds,and the drive is so arranged that the arms 53 and 54 of one shaft passbetween heads 55 of the other shaft as the two shafts rotate. It willfurther be observed that thespacing of the shafts 40 and 4| is such thatthe heads 55 of one shaft pass close to the other shaft during rotationat the same time they pass the arms of the other shafts. This insures avery highly efficient kneading of the material in the cooker.

In order to drive the cooker and the other elements of this invention,the frame I8 supports a main motor 59, which has a pulley 59a mounted onits shaft. On the frame are provided alined end bearings 68 and anintermediate bearing 8|. In these bearings is journaled a shaft 62. Theshaft 62 forms a jack-shaft and on the left hand end of this shaft is apinion 65 which meshes with .a gear 66 fixed on the shaft 4|. Similarly,on the right hand end of the shaft 82 is fixed a pinion 61, which mesheswith a gear 68 fixed on the shaft 48. The pinions 65 and 81 are of thesame size and the gears 86 and 68 also are of the same size.Consequently the shafts 48 and 4| are rotated in unison.

On the frame are also mounted bearings 63 which carry the driving shaft84 of a speed reduction drive 69 of any preferred form, the casing onlyof this drive being here shown. 0n the shaft 64 is mounted a pulleywhich is connected by belting 18 to the pulley 59a. By this means theshaft 62 is driven from the motor. On the shaft 64 is also mounted apulley or sprocket 1| which is connected by belt or chain 12 withapulley or sprocket 13 mounted on a shaft 14. On this shaft 14 is keyeda clutch member 15 actuated by the lever 16 to engage with and engagefrom a clutch member 11 fixed on a shaft 18 whichforms the driving shaftfor a right angle drive, the casing of which is shown at 19. The purposeof this right angle drive will presently be understood. At the rightrear part of the machine there is provided a standard type of variablespeed drive, the casing of which is indicated at 80, and this drivereceives its power from a motor (not shown). The output shaft of thevariable speed drive is indicated at 82 and carries a sprocket 83 whichis connected by a suitable sprocket chain such as a roller chain 84 to asprocket 85 mounted on a shaft 86. This shaft 86 is supported in abearing 81 carried by the frame end in a stuffing box "supported by theend wall 89 of the chamber 51, the stuffing box being disposed axially.

The chamber 51 is provided with a cylindrical casing 98, having a flange9| at its forward end. On the shaft 88 is mounted a conveyor element inthe form of a screw 9la. Thus when the mae 2,272.00? I I terial is feddownward through the opening 66 it is forcibly urgedthrough t e chamber61 by the screw 9Ia. The chamber Pleads-into an extrusion .chamber 92having a flange 93 at its rear part by which it isconnecte'd to theflange 9i. The chamber 92 has ,a cylindrical sidewall 94, and atitsforward end this chamber is provided with an inwardly extendingperipheral surface of side wall 84..

having'its other endconnected to a pin'l4l1carpried by the ring I21, sothat the knife I88 is constantly urged into contact with the cylindrical'The frame I supports a suitably driven blower I6 which communicatesthrough a pipe. I42 to the -lowerlpartgof the casing- I26 andtangentially thereof, through inlet I42a, so that cool air may flange96. This cylindrical sidewall has at its middle portion a belt ofperforations 96, the whole forming a die. Mounted within the chamber 93is an extrusion head or roller 91 .of somewhat v less diameter than theinterior of the die, the

rear face of the roller having preferably aconical face as at 98.- Thebody of the head 91 is of general frusto-conical form but the this bodyis slightly concave as at 99.

Supported from the frame I0 is a cylindrical housing I00, which isconcentric to the chamber 61 and slightly excentric to the head 91.Within the front end of the housing I00 is supported a combinationradial and thrust ballbearing MI and at the rear end is likewisesupported-a ballperiphery of" be constantly blown into this casingeflecting a cooling and drying of the pellets as they are whirledrapidly within the I26 so that they will not adhere to each other or toother objects; 1

At the'bottom .of the casing isan outlet funnel I43 permitting escape ofthe pellets .preferablyto 1 apparatus (not shown) where the cooling anddrying is. continued.

The operation of'the mixer, cooker; and screw having beendescrlbed itwill-be seen that the cooked material is gradually delivered ,into thechamber 92. Here, due to the pressing action of the, screw, it isforced, outwardly of the conical face 98 and .into the space between thewall 94 ,and the hollow peripheral face 99 of the head bearing I02. Adust cap I03 is fitted on the front of the housing I00. In the bearingsIM and I02 is supported a shaft I04 which projectsforwardly of thebearing-NI into a roller bearing I06, this roller bearing being spacedfrom the dust cap I03 and being supported on the frame I0. Be-

tween the bearing I05 and dust cap I03 there is provideda-hub I06 whichis keyed on the shaft I04 and has its inner end provided with aperipheral flange III! to which is secured a pair of sprocket wheels I08held to the flange I01 -by'l-.-

cal recess ,6 extending into the head 9.1 from a the front face IIIthereof. Surrounding the eccentric II3, the head is provided atits frontface with a shallow recess II8 forming an extension of the recess H6 andin this extension I I8 is seated a plate I I9 which carries a dust ringI20 bearing against a head or closure I2I fixed to the rear end of thehousing I00. Extending from the flange 95 are bolts I2Ia whereon isfitted a ring I22 which is adapted to prevent the passage of dough andwhichv is pressed against the head.

91 by means of springs I23 surrounding the bolts I2 Ia and having theirpressure regulated by nuts I24. Surrounding the casing 94 15a casing I25which at its front end has an inwardly projecting flange I26. At I2! isa knife supporting ring which has a lip I28 fitting behind the flangeI26. This knife supporting ring is connected by a frame I29 with a ringI 30secured by bolts I3I to the rear sprocket I08- On the flange 95 isalso mounted a ring I32 integral with the housing I00 and connected byribs I32 (Fig. 10) to the ring which carries a thin ring I33 extendingbehind the lip I34 formed on the ring I21.

Secured to the ring I21 and projecting inwardly the casing I25 is asleeve I35 through which passes a stem I36 carrying on its inner end ahead I3'I, which is rockingly arranged on the stem'and which supports adoctor knife I38 bearing constantly against the peripheral portion ofthe cylindrical'side wall 94. On the stem I36 is flxed an arm I38a tothe free end of which What is claimed,is:

.81. Now the rotation of the shaft I04 causes the head .91 to perform aplanetary movement while the. bearings H4 and H6 permit free-rotation ofthe head 91 on the crank or eccentric III. The effect of this is thatthe head 91. rolls around thewall 94 compressing the material betweenthe face 99 and the wall 94 and thus forcing this materialout causing ittobe extruded through the perforations". .At thev same time the ring I30rotates with the shaft I04, which in causes rotationof the ring I2'I.-This ring thuscarries the doctor knife I38 aroundthe wall 94 and thuscuts .oifthe extruded material formlng pellets which are whirled andcooled by the air ,blast'from the blower casing HI, and pass out throughthe funnel I43.

..A hand wheel=I44 is used for adjusting the variable gearing forvarying the speed of the screw .9Ia' thereby adjustingthe' length of thepellets since the speed of the doctor knife remains constant.- Alubricating means'such as indicated at I46 is'provided for admittinglubricant to the recess'lli.

Y 1. In a machine of the class described, acylind-rical extrusion diehaving a multiplicity of perforations in its side wall,, a"shaftextending into said die axially thereof, a crankon'said I shaft withinsaid die, an extrusion roller rotatablymounted on said crank, saidroller being of slightly less diamet'erthan the die, means to rotatesaid shaft, the periphery of the roller being transversely concave toform ashallow' circumferential groove, and meansto sever the extrudedmaterial to form pellets.

2. In a pellet forming, mechanism, a cylindrical extrusion die having amultiplicity of perforations in its side wall, a shaft extending intosaid die axially thereof, a crank on said shaft within said e die, anextrusion roller rotatably mounted on said 1 crank, means to rotate saidshaft, a doctor knife supported tobear against the outer face of theperforated part ofthe die, and a casing surrounding said' dieand knifeand having an outlet opening and providing means for circulating acurrent of air oversaid die to cool and dry said pellets and to blowthem out, of said opening.

3. In a machineof-the class described, 9. cylindrical-extrusion' diehaving a multiplicity of perforations in its side wall, a shaftextending is connected one end of a spring I39 (Fig. 10)" 78 into saiddie axially thereof, a crank on said shaft within said die, an extrusionroller rotatably mounted on said crank, means to rotate said shaft, adoctor knife supported to bear against the outer face of the perforatedpart of the die, a casing surrounding said die and knife and having anoutlet opening, a rotatable ring within the casing adjacent itsperiphery and supporting said knife, and a cage connecting the ring andthe means to rotate the shaft.

4. In a machine of the class described, a cylindrical extrusion diehaving a multiplicity of perforations in its sidewall, a shaft extendinginto said die axially thereof, an eccentric portion on said shaft withinsaiddie, means to rotate the shaft, an extrusion roller rotatablymounted on said eccentric portion, means for feeding dough to beextruded axially toward said roller, ball and having a discharge openingtherein, and said casing including means for directing a current of airover said die and cutter to dry and cool said pellets as they are cutfrom the die and to keep them separate and in suspension untildischarged through said opening.

8. In a machine for making food pellets from a stiff gummy mass of hotmaterial; a cylindrical enclosure having an extrusion die in one wallthereof, said enclosure having means for heating and directly feedingsaid material while heated through said die, means for cutting off theextruded hot material in predetermined lengths from said die to formpellets, and an air bearings on said shaft and within said roller for vpermitting rotation of the roller with respect to the shaft, and a ringyieldably bearing against the rear face of the roller for preventingdough from passing around the roller and into the bearings.

5. In a machine of the class described, a cylindrical extrusion diehaving a multiplicity of perforations in its sidewall, a shaft extendinginto said die axially thereof, an eccentric portion on said shaft withinsaid die, means to rotate the shaft, an extrusion roller rotatablymounted on said eccentric portion, means for feeding dough to beextruded axially toward said roller, and means to sever the extrudeddough to form pellets, said roller having an annular depression in itsperiphery facing said die.

6. In a machine of the class described for processing viscous material,a cylindrical extrusion die having a multiplicity of perforations in itsside wall, a shaft extending into said die axially thereof, a crank onsaid shaft within said die, an extrusion roller rotatably mounted onsaid crank said roller being of slightly less diameter than the die,means for pressing said viscous material over and about said roller,means for heating the material to be extruded, means to rotate saidshaft and means to sever the extruded material to form pellets.

7. In a machine for making food pellets from a stiff gummy mass ofmaterial, an extrusion die, means for extruding said material throughsaid die, means for cutting off the material so extruded inpredetermined lengths, and an air conducting casing enclosing said dieand cutter conducting casing enclosing said die and cutter for coolingand drying said pellets and maintaining them in suspension for dischargefrom said casing.

9. In a machine for making food pellets from a stiff gummy mass of hotmaterial, a cylindrical enclosure having an extrusion die in one wallthereof, said enclosure having means for heating, kneading and directlyfeeding said material while hot through said die including an eccentricroller cooperating with the inner face of said die, a cutter cooperatingwith the outer face of said die to out OK the hot material extruded bysaid eccentric in the form of pellets, and an air conducting andconditioning casing for said pellets enclosing said die and cutter forrapidly drying and cooling said pellets as they are out from the die toprevent adherence thereof to the apparatus and to each other.

10. In a machine for making cooked .food pellets from a stiff gummy massof hot material, an enclosed chamber having means for heating the same,said chamber having an enclosed extrusion die communicating with theinterior thereof through one wall thereof, means within said chamber forkneading and directly feeding the freshly cooked material while hotthrough said die, means operating with said last mentioned means andcooperating with said die for cutting off the hot material as it isextruded to form pellets, and said die having means for directing acurrent of air on the exterior thereof to rapidly dry and cool saidpellets and prevent their adhesion to said cutter or to each other asthey are cut from the die.

THOMAS R. JAMES.

